1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to the field of shipment of hazardous chemicals, and in particular a method for shipping hazardous chemicals from one port to another port, and a vessel for shipping hazardous chemicals from one port to another port.
2. Description of the Related Art
Chemicals typically are transported from the manufacturer's plant to its customers in large railroad tank cars, and the chemicals travel over the nation's railroads to the chemical manufacturer's customers who have purchased the chemicals. Such chemicals may include hazardous chemicals, such as toxic gases and flammable and combustible liquids. For example, toxic gases include chlorine and ammonia. Examples of flammable and combustible liquid chemicals could include paints, varnishes and lacquers. If a chemical manufacturer has sold less than a railroad tank car load, or carload, quantity of its chemicals, such less-than-carload quantities are typically shipped via long haul tanker trucks.
There are disadvantages associated with shipment of less than carload quantities of hazardous chemicals by long haul tanker trucks, resulting from the possibility of traffic accidents damaging the tanker truck, and causing the undesired release of the chemicals. Additionally, as tanker trucks are typically driven upon major highways which frequently pass through heavily populated areas, the undesired release of the chemicals could harm many individuals. As to shipment of chemicals by railroad, such railroads also typically pass through heavily populated areas in the United States, and there have been reports of potential terrorist attacks upon railroads in the United States, which could lead to the undesired discharge of the chemicals into such heavily populated areas.